Ontario Science Centre Powers Up The Energy Show

Jan 25, 2017

A seven-foot Tesla coil dazzles visitors at the official launch of The Energy Show at the Ontario Science Centre, a new theatrical presentation that uses engaging scientific experiments to highlight the important role energy plays in our everyday lives.

Today, the Ontario Science Centre launches The Energy Show, a new theatrical presentation that explores the roles that different sources of energy play – and have the potential to play – in our daily lives. From solar and wind, to transformation and storage, this fun, live interactive show uses engaging scientific experiments to uncover the world's ultimate source of power.

"Energy underpins modern life, and energy requirements around the world continue to grow. To serve these in a sustainable way, we need to understand energy sources, generation and storage," said Dr. Maurice Bitran, CEO and Chief Science Officer, Ontario Science Centre. "Using storytelling to illustrate scientific principles, The Energy Show engages audiences with the important role energy plays in our everyday lives and empowers them to make more informed personal energy usage choices for a better future."

The Energy Show, an interactive stage performance, revolves around the fictional Aunt Tess who requires the audience's assistance with a top secret mission. Guided by an Ontario Science Centre presenter, audiences help Aunt Tess with energy-related research by making hypotheses, conducting experiments, uploading data and testing very unique equipment.

Building upon the Science Centre's iconic Electricity Demonstration, The Energy Show explores the practical applications and implications of energy consumption. Through interactive investigation, experimentation and collaboration, audiences will learn about renewable and non-renewable sources of energy such as solar, wind and fossil fuels, to deepen their understanding of the essential roles of energy generation, transmission and storage. To illustrate these topics, The Energy Show features a seven-foot, 500,000-volt Tesla coil, a captivating Faraday cage and a hair-raising Van de Graaff generator.

The Energy Show was created, researched and developed in-house by the Science Centre's team of scientists, educators, designers and craftspeople. The team consulted with leading experts, including the Independent Electricity System Operator (IESO), the Science Centre's Lead Supporter.

"The IESO is pleased to embark on this partnership with the Ontario Science Centre. The Energy Show is a great opportunity to promote energy literacy to audiences of all ages in a highly engaging way," said Terry Young, Vice President Conservation and Corporate Relations, IESO. "We want to help inspire the next generation of scientists, grid operators or energy managers."

Supported by the IESO, Lead Supporter, and Enbridge Gas Distribution, Supporting Partner, The Energy Show is a 30-minute, family-friendly presentation that runs daily and is included with general admission. For more information about The Energy Show, visit OntarioScienceCentre.ca/EnergyShow.

The Ontario Science Centre, a Centennial project, has welcomed more than 51 million visitors since it opened in 1969, implementing an interactive approach now adopted by science centres around the world. Today, the Science Centre is an international leader in free-choice science learning and a key contributor to Ontario's education and innovation ecosystems, offering lifelong learning through hands-on, engaging experiences. The Ontario Science Centre is an agency of the Government of Ontario funded in part by the Ontario Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Sport. As a publicly assisted organization, the Science Centre relies on generous individuals, corporations and foundations who share a commitment to science and education for additional operating support. For more information about the Ontario Science Centre, please OntarioScienceCentre.ca.

The Independent Electricity System Operator (IESO) manages the province's power system so that Ontarians receive power when and where they need it. It plans and prepares for future electricity needs and works with its partners to guide conservation efforts. For more information, visit IESO.ca.

The non-energy benefits of lighting have long been the focus of the National Lighting Bureau. Established in 1976, the not-for-profit lighting-information service was created to advocate for “High-Benefit Lighting®”; i.e., energy-efficient lighting that is designed to increase worker productivity, reduce visual errors, increase safety, improve security, and attain a variety of related benefits with significant bottom-line values, as documented in an array of case histories available free on the Bureau’s website.

Keeping Current

STANDARD announces the appointment of two new sales managers for Western Canada.

Zane Yakiwchuk has been promoted to Regional Sales Manager for Western Canada. In addition to leading sales in Alberta and the Midwest, Zane will be responsible for the British Columbia market. Many of STANDARD's customers have Trans-Western operations and we believe we can work in a more aligned fashion to develop and execute strategic initiatives that will drive mutual growth. Zane has a long history with STANDARD, starting in 2004 as a Lighting Specialist in B.C. and then moving to Calgary in 2011 to become the Regional Sales Manager for Alberta. Based on his success in Alberta, Zane’s geographic region has been expanded to include Saskatchewan, Manitoba, and Northwestern Ontario.

Northwinds' sales force leverages over 100 years of combined experience in the province of Ontario and is committed to providing dependable solutions to an always-changing electrical industry. They are dedicated to fulfilling all the supply needs of the electrical distributor and contractor partners with the industry's finest manufacturers.

MERSEN announced the appointment of Ali Julazadeh as Regional Sales Manager for Canada’s Central Region, effective October 23, 2017. Ali joined Mersen in March 2014 in the position of Solutions Engineer, PV Products. Ali recently earned his P.Eng. designation, holds a Bachelors and a Masters of Applied Science in Electrical Engineering from Ryerson University in Toronto and is in the process of completing his MBA.

Ali is based in Mersen’s Mississauga office and can be reached at 416.252.9371.

TE Connectivity (TE), a world leader in connectivity and sensors, has introduced a development kit for its new LUMAWISE Drive LED Holder Type Z50, enabling luminaire designers to purchase a single unit for desktop testing, product evaluation and luminaire prototyping. Each kit contains an LED holder, a cable assembly and a thermal interface material.

The versatile new Hilti task light SL 2-A22 packs a whole lot of illumination into a very small package. Put it on the ground, hang it by its integrated hook, or hold it in a free hand to put the light just where you need it to get the job done.

The fully-adjustable LED panel rotates to provide 360 degrees to get the light where you need it and pivots so you can put 500 lumens of color-accurate white natural light exactly where you need it, while staying cool to the touch. A 3-position switch lets you select the right amount of light based on your needs.

CBS ArcSafe®, a leading manufacturer of remote racking and switching solutions for low- and medium-voltage switchgear, introduces its remote switch actuator (RSA) for the ABB/Sace Novomax air circuit breaker (ACB). The lightweight, portable CBS ArcSafe RSA-242 allows technicians to remotely close or trip an ABB/Sace Novomax ACB from a safe distance of up to 300 feet, well outside the arc-flash boundary.